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Thursday, December 06, 2007

"If European nations abandon their Christian roots they are doomed to disappear from the historical arena, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia said. 'Modern Europe will not create a new post-Christian culture and civilization but will simply vanish from history,' Alexy II said at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow on Wednesday evening. 'Losing their Christian roots, the people of Europe will sign their own death warrant,' he said. Alexy II recalled that he talked about 'the need to preserve moral Christian values,' without which 'it is hard to imagine European culture and Europe itself,' in his speech at the PACE in October this year."

Unbelievable. The Diocese that does everything to stop the Latin Mass also permits Moonlight Masses in the burial crypt of the Cathedral. At one of the rare Latin Masses they do permit in the Residence in Würzburg, the Latin Mass book that they had printed does not have any publisher named, so afraid they were of the reaction of the Bishop.

Translation

Diocesan Offices in Würzburg and Rottenburg continue on their course of obstruction.

Most of the "old Masses" newly established in recent months will take place in southern Germany - perhaps this is the reason for the fact that now from the Diocesan Offices in Würzburg and Rottenburg - Stuttgart measures have emerged, which agree neither with the spirit nor the letter of Summorum Pontificum. The party line will now be that the interest in the Holy Mass in the classical rite is low - and where it can be found, it must be seen off and can be suppressed.

Diocese of Würzburg In Würzburg parochial representatives, who requested from their parish priest an "old Mass", received the following reply:

At your request. I am sending you a verbatim extract from the "Word of the Bishop” quoting Bishop Friedhelm at the Deanery Conference on 24/25 October when speaking to the deans, he gave a summary of the reactions to the Motu proprio:

"The Germans bishops at their autumn General Assembly in Fulda have issued guidelines for the Motu proprio which yet again emphasise the importance of peace in our communities. The ordinary form must be used and remain in use for parish Masses. With concern, it has been observed that since September 14 groups from outside have been trying to put pressure on our pastors and parishes to celebrate the extraordinary rite. We have also to be circumspect that no priest is pushed into such a celebration. The Bishops have required that it is appropriate to appoint other priests when a priest feels unable to celebrate the extraordinary rite.

I will require such priests to ensure that the extraordinary rite is worthy and understandable. At the same time, they must also be prepared to celebrate the ordinary rite of the Mass. An appropriate training of such priests in the coming period is still to be decided upon. Already, there is evidence how difficult it will be ever to find an appropriate priest in our diocese. "

That all sounds like a prevarication putting it off to the Feast of St Never Ever. This phrase is particularly irritating: "At the same time, they must also be prepared to celebrate the ordinary rite of the Mass." There are many priests, who today are permitted to celebrate the Mass in the old use such as in the Ecclesia-Dei groups. These priests with the permission of the Holy See are not obligated to celebrate the Mass according to the more recent use, whose validity they certainly recognize. It is not only the case that no priest can be forced into a celebration in the ancient ritual, but also no priest can be forced to say the new rite.

As far as the above-mentioned considerations of the German Bishops also seek to deny in their dioceses celebration to priests of the Ecclesia Dei groups, it is a violation of Summorum Pontificum, which the Commission Ecclesia Dei must put an end to.

Diocese of Rottenburg Stuttgart

The Church Bulletin No. 12 of the Diocese of Rottenburg - Stuttgart, published on 15 November provided the following "clarification of the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum"

We have been made aware that the chairman of the initiative Sancta Pro Ecclesia applies to parish priests in Germany, and puts himself forward as a mediator of applications, for the celebration of Mass in the extraordinary form. This leads us to the following clarification:

1st The Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum provides that groups of believers in their parish or diocese within their pastoral care unit can request the appropriate pastor if the Holy Mass after the Roman Missal 1962 can be celebrated. Those, either an individual or chairman of an initiative, who do not belong to the individual parish, cannot make such a request to the priest.

2nd The provisions of the Motu proprio apply to the personal connection between the believers and the pastor. The transfer of a right of request or the representation of the faithful before their pastor is not in the Motu proprio. In this context, the fear claimed of any disadvantages which believers in this case could suffer, is absurd and should not be suggested.

3rd Believers, or a member of an initiative who have their own concerns should address them to their own priest or bishop. The initiative Sancta Pro Ecclesia has no representative or lawyer's function in this matter. (...) With this "clarification", the Diocesan administration has clearly exceeded their powers.

It goes without saying that parish representatives who bring a legal matter to their priest or bishop can use a freely chosen representative. The law provides nowhere that this must be an individual member of the parish or diocese. Parishes or Diocesan administrations who are relying on such a "clarification" to refuse the applications must also reckon on a correction from "Ecclesia Dei".